Roof-mounted bicycle rack
Abicycle carrier, also commonly called a bicycle rack,[1][2][3] is a device attached to a vehicle to transport bicycles.
Automobile-mounted bike carriers can be attached to the roof, rear trunk, or rear tow hitch, depending on the vehicle. Carriers have been developed especially for the rear of pickup trucks that attach either to the bed or its sides.
Manufacturers offer bicycle carriers for use on motorcycles.
Most public transit buses in the United States and Canada are equipped with bicycle racks, though they are far less common on transit systems outside North America.[4][5] Bus-mounted bike carriers are usually attached to the front of the bus, and most are capable of collapsing when not in use.[6][7] Some buses have rear-mounted racks. Others, particularly on bus rapid transit systems, are equipped with interior bicycle racks.[8]
Many trains have interior bicycle racks. Some are horizontal, holding cycles in place on the floor, while others hold them vertically. Some trains have dedicated cars to hold bicycles in large volumes; in some cases, external flatcars.
Bikes may be mounted in the carriers by clamping both wheels and providing some additional vertical support, by clamping the rear wheel and the front dropouts (necessitating the removal of the front wheel, which may be mounted separately on blades), or by clamping the top tube (usually in the case of rear hitch mounted carriers). There is a device available that connects from the stem to the seat post, to provide a top tube equivalent suitable for mounting in these carriers for step-through frame bicycles that do not have a top tube. Carriers that clamp on the front dropouts may also provide a built-in locking mechanism.
Special long carriers have been developed to support long-wheelbase recumbents and tandems.
